2024 will mark the 25th Anniversary of the Tibbie Leslie Travel Grant for Educators program. Since the first award was made in 1999, the Tibbie Leslie Fund has provided over $200,000 in travel grants for more than 100 trips that helped local educators bring their experiences and what they learn from around the world back to their Licking County classrooms. 

Support for these travel experiences for area educators was established by Elizabeth Randolph Leslie, known as “Tibbie,” a Newark, Ohio native and 1950 Newark High School graduate. After graduating from Miami University in 1954, Ms. Leslie taught physical education for 30 years. Every summer, she returned to Newark to visit her family, then left to travel with a group of other educators on trips to Europe, South America, China, or Africa. Her learning experiences on these trips were so wonderful that she decided to help others travel. Ms. Leslie died in 1995. She established the Tibbie Leslie Fund in the Licking County Foundation through her will. 

This fund supports Licking County educators who plan international travel to broaden their experience and knowledge in their particular field of interest. Applicants must include how they will incorporate their travel experiences into their classroom curriculum. 

As a Licking County educator, where might you like to travel to broaden your experience and knowledge in your field? As of May 2023, Antarctica is the only continent that has not seen a Tibbie Traveler – could you be the first?

Click here to access the 2025 Tibbie Leslie Travel Grant for Educators Application.  The deadline to apply is 2/28/25.